Slicing machine



J. SWOFFORD SLICING MACHINE July 18, 1939.

Filed Dec. 9, 1937 S Sheets-Sheet 1 jib 87% (76%, 520%?"05 QZZZWwy July 18, 1939. .J SWQFFQRD 2,166,648

SLIQING MACHINE Filed Dec. 9, 1957 3 SheetsSheet 2 Z WIIIIIW M jw niz J. SWOFFORD SLICING MACHINE July 18, 1939.

Filed Dec. 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 18, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,166,648 SLICING MACHINE John Swofford, Eugene, 0reg., assignor to Eugene Fruit Growers Association, Eugene, Oreg, a corporation of Oregon Application December 9, 1937," Serial No. 178,886

1 Claim.

The invention relates to improvements in slicing machines especially adapted for use in slicing beets or similar vegetables, the primary object of the invention being the provision of an improved machine of the character indicated which is of simple construction and highly efficient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 a vertical section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 a horizontal section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 a horizontal section taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 a horizontal section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 a horizontal section taken substantially on line 'l-! of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 a vertical section taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings comprises four vertical legs or standards In having a horizontal supporting plate or table II at their upper ends. A feed hopper or pan I2 is positioned as shown on the table top H and is equipped with a plurality of downwardly flaring conical feed tubes I3, arranged as indicated with their axes in two concentric circles and passing freely through suitable openings I4 in the table top H. The lower ends of the feed tubes I3 fit loosely into openings I5 in an intermediate plate I6 mounted on and supported by the standards l0. As will be noted, the feed tubes l3 are relatively small in size so that the articles to be sliced will fit loosely therein, in a single column, and whereby rolling or movement of said articles during the slicing operation will be prevented.

A revolving table I! is mounted to revolve a short distance below the intermediate plate l6 and the lower or discharge ends of the feed tubes l3, as best shown in Fig. 3. The revolving table II is supported on two radiating webs or arms l8, radiating from a central hub I9 which is splined or feathered on a central operating shaft 20. A supporting ring 2| is formed integrally with the outer ends of the webs lfl'and is positioned against and secured to the under side of the table I"! thereby serving as a support therefor. Additional radiating webs 22 are formed integrally with the ring 2| and are provided with flanges 23 secured to theunder side of table I! by bolts 24 thereby furnishing further support for said table. As bestshown in Fig. 8, these triangular webs 22 extend downwardly and in wardly and are bolted as shown in Figs. 6 and 8 to flanges 25 on a hub 26 which isfre'ely slidable on shaft 20 so as to permit of free verticaladjustments of the table I! on shaft 20.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 8, the hub 26 is supported on a cross-bar 21 extending through a slot 28 in the shaft 20 and said cross-bar 28 is in turn supported by an adjusting screw 29 extending upwardly, as shown, through the center of the shaft 20 and whereby the vertical position of the table I! may be adjusted as desired.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, two diametrically opposed slice openings 30 are formed in the table I! positioned to pass under the lower or discharge ends of the feed tubes l3 as shown and two inwardly inclined chutes or aprons 3| are secured to the under sides of the table I! and arranged to direct slices falling through the openings 30 inwardly to pass through the central opening 32 in the lower plate 33 of the machine.

As best shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 7, two supporting hubs 34 are also splined or feathered on the shaft 26 and carry two outwardly extending tangential supporting plates or webs 35 slotted at 35' to pass around the hub 26, and whereby said supporting webs are capable of vertical adjustments on the shaft 26. Two diametrically positioned vertical shafts 36 are mounted as shown on the webs 35 in axial alignment with the centers of the slice openings 30, said vertical shafts 36 carrying at their upper ends circular slicing knives 31 positioned as shown just above the slice openings 36. At their lower ends, the vertical shafts 36 carry pinions 38 meshing with an external annular gear 39 secured, as shown, to the bottom plate 33 and whereby as said shafts 36 revolve about the annular gear 39 the slicing knives 31 are rotated on their own axes as well as revolved about the axis of the shaft 20 and whereby a proper slicing action is given to said knives. Stripper plates 31' are mounted on the forward sides of the webs 35 and have their upper ends shaped to fit approximately the under sides of the knives 31 and serve to strip slices from said knives and cause them to fall through the openings into the chutes 3| and thus pass through the discharge opening 32 of the machine.

The central operating shaft 20 is given suitable bearings, as shown, and is driven by a bevelled gear by means of a bevelled gear 4| on operating shaft 42, as will be readily understood, and whereby the table I1 will be revolved and the knives 31 not only revolved about the axis of the shaft '20 but also rotated on their own axes.

In use and in operation the articles such as beets or the like, to be sliced are placed in the feed hopper or pan l2 and fed by hand into the feed tubes l 3, said feed tubes being thus kept full or as nearly full as practicable with the articles to be sliced. As indicated, said feed tubes are downwardly flaring in form so that said articles will pass freely therethrough and will thus come to rest on the top of the table I! which is constantly revolving thereunder. As the slicing knives I! come in contact with the downwardly protruding portions of said articles, said portions are Q sliced therefrom and pass downwardly through the openings 30, chutes 3|, and discharge opening 32, as will be readily understood. By vertically adjusting the table I! and the knives 31, the thickness of these slices may be regulated as desired. Thus at each revolution of the table II, a set of slices will be cut from the articles protruding from all of the tubes [3, thus slicing at-each revolution a large number of articles and thereby producing a relatively large output of slices at each revolution of the table II, and whereby articles such as beets or the like may be sliced withv great economy and rapidity of operation.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying the invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details disclosed, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modi- 5 fications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim: I

A machine of the class described comprising a vertical drive shaft; a revolving table splined 1 to said shaft, said table being supported on a "depending frame, having a hub freely slidable on thelower portion of said shaft, there being a transverse slot in. said shaft and a cross bar on said hub extending through said slot and 1 freelyadjustable therein; an adjusting screw mounted in the lower end of said shaft and extending upwardly'therein to contact with and support said cross bar for vertical adjustments of said table; a feed hopper positioned above said table; a plurality of vertical feed tubes of relatively small sizes leading from said hopper and terminating at their lower ends a short distance above said table, there being a slice opening in said table positioned to pass under said tubes; a circular knife revolving with and vertically adjustable with respect to said table and positionedabove said slice opening; a vertical drive shaft for said knife mounted on the supporting frame of said table; a driving pinion at 3 the lower end of said shaft; an external annular gear meshing with said pinion; and a chute on said table frame under said slice opening and adapted and arranged to direct slices falling therethrough inwardly to pass through said annular gear.

JOHN SWOFFORD. 

